Valve mechanism



2 Sheets-Sheet l VALVE MECHANISM R. MILLER Er AL Filed March 29, 1953 vZ Z A 05 9 April 30, 1935.

Patented Apr. 30, 1935 PATENT OFFICE.

vALvE mscmmsrr Ralph Miller and Wallace 1:. Newcomb, Easton, Pa.,assignors to Ingersoll-Band Company, Jer-- sey City, N, J., acorporationof New Jersey Application March 29, 1933, Serial No. 663,337

3 Claims.

This invention relates to valve mechanisms, and more particularly to avalve mechanism for the fuel injection, line of an internal combustionengine and into which the fuel is injected'under 5 high pressure.

One object of the invention is to assure uniformly meted fuel charges tothe combustion chamber of the engine. A Another-object is to preventafter-injection and the consequent wastage of fuel and such undesirableconditions as usually result through the 'incorrect proportioning of theconstituent elements of the explosive mixture, including smoke ladenexhaust gases and the deposition of carbonaceous material on theelements exposed to the exhaust gases.

Still another object is to prevent the objectionable hydrauiic-hammercaused by thepressure waves which are set up in the fuel injection lineupon the abrupt interruption of communication between the fuel underpressure in the injection line and the pumping mechanism.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention and in whichsimilar reference characters refer to similar parts,

Figure 1 is a sectioinal elevation of a valve mechanism constructed inaccordance with the practice of the invention and showing it interposedin the fuel injection line of an internal combustion engine,

Figure 2 is a transverse view taken through Figure 1 on the line 2-2looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and V Figure 3 isaview similar to Figure 1 showing a modified form of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A

designates, in general, a valve mechanism interposed in a fuel line B ofan internal combustion engine C. a .The engine 0 comprises a cylinder Dand a head E with a spacer F interposed between the cylinderand the headand the interior of which combines with a recess G in the headE to forma combustion chamber H wherein the fuel charge is prepared and ignitedfor actuating a piston J reciprocable in the cylinder D.

Within the head E are the usual exhaust and inlet valves K and L,respectively, and'seated in the wall of the head E is an injectionnozzle 0 to which is connected an end of an injection line or pipe Pleading from the valve mechanism A.

The injection nozzle 0 may be of a wellknown type comprising a nozzlebody Q which may be '1 aflixed to the head Ein any suitable manner andhas a passage R extending therethrough for conveying fuel to thecombustion chamber H. The outer end ofthe passage R may be in directcommunication with the injection line P. At the inner end of the passageis an enlarged portion S to accommodate a valve '1- which controlscommunication between the passage R and the enlarged portion S.

Within the enlarged portion S is a spring U 10 which acts against thevalve T for pressing the valve to its seat V, and the opposite end ofthe spring is seated upon a spray nozzle W threaded into the inner endof the nozzle body and having an aperture K through which the fuel flowsfrom 1 the enlarged portion S into the combustion chamber H.

The valve mechanism A, constructed in "accordance with the practice ofthe invention, comprises a casing Y which, in this instance, is con- 20I nected directly to the end of a pump cylinder Z,

as by bolts b, sothat the fuel pumped by a plunger 0 within the cylinderZ is discharged directly into the casing Y.- Such fuel is introducedinto the pump cylinder by a pipe d leading from a source 25 of fuelsupply e and communicating with the cylinderv Z through a port 1, saidport j being suitably located to assure complete filling of the cylinderZ during the suction stroke of the plunger c. a

The plunger c may be actuated, for a reciprocatory movement, in anysuitable manner, as by a cam shaft (not shown), but which may beoperatively connected with the crank shaft of the engine to cause thecam shaft to move in timed relation with the piston or pistons J of theengine.

' Within the casing Y is a bushing or guide member 9 having a bore hwhich serves as a guide for the stem 1' of a valve k. The stem is ofcylindrical shape and has an unbroken external sur- 40 face whichcooperates with the wall of the bore h to prevent the passage offuelthroughsaid bore. Within the valve k and its stem is a passage 0comprising an enlarged portion p, which is located in the stem 1', and aport q in the head r of the valve Ic.

The valve k is preferablyof the poppet type having a surface s whichseats upon a valve seat t on ,the guide member g, and at the juncture ofthe surface sand the stem 7' are a plurality of laterally directed portsu through which fuel flows from the enlarged portion p of the passage 0into a discharge chamber v in the top of the casing Y; The fuel thusintroduced into the chamber 21 passes therefrom to the injectioniine Pthrough a passage or passages w located in the top of the casing Y andin a stop member a: depending from the upper end of the casing Y tolimit the lift of the valve k.

In order to insure the prompt closing of the valve 70 upon completion ofthe pumping stroke of the plunger 0 a spring y is disposed about thestop member a: to seat with one end against the end wall of the casing Yand with its other end against the head r of the valve.

As will be readily understood, the valve is is, in efiect, a dischargevalve for the fuel pump. The valve is actuated by the fuel pumped to theinjection nozzle of the engine C and closes promptly upon completion ofthe pumping stroke of the plunger 0. This closing movement of the valveis is efl'ected by the fuel under pressure within the passages andchambers lying between the valves is and T and by the force ,of'thespring 3!.

In devices of this character wherein the fuel is injected into thecombustion chamber under high pressure the swift returning or closingmovement of the valve it, permits rapid expansion of the fuel underpressure, between the valves is and T, which causes pressure waves ofsuch magnitude as to' cause unseating of the valve TI The column of fuelbetween the valves k and T may then expand into the enlarged portion Sof the passage R and through the injection nozzle into the combustionchamber H.

After-injection is, of course, objectionable. It not only causes wastageof fuel but, being injected into the combustion chamber aftersubstantially all the oxygen therein has been consumed, it also causessmoke ladenexhaust gases and the objectionable consequences incidentthereto. The present invention is particularly contemplated'to obviatethese objectionable occurrences. To this end a check valve z, in theform of a ball, is disposed within the enlarged portion 11 of thepassage 0 to seat over the port it at its juncture with the portion 9.The valve 2 is held in the closed position over the mouth of the port uby a spring 2 disposed in the portion p and seating with its other endagainst a spring seat 3, illustrated as being in the form of a pin whichextends transversely through the passage 0 and is preferably piened overat its ends to prevent endwise movement thereof.

The operation of the device is as follows: Upon the subjection of theend of the valve stem 73 to the pressure of the fuel being pumped by theplunger c the valve, k is lifted against-the stop member a. In thisposition of the valve the ports u are uncovered to communicate thepassage o with the chamber 22. The fuel, under pressure, then flowsthrough these channels and through the port or ports 1', the injectionline P and into the passage R in the nozzle body Q where it unseatsthevalve T and passes through the enlarged portion S and the aperture Xinto the combustion chamber H in the form of a spray. 1

Immediately upon completion of the pumping stroke of the plunger 0 thevalve it is returned to its seatjt by the spring 1, and the pressure ofthe fuel existing in the injection line P and the chamber 1). As thevalve k approaches or strikes its seat the pressure of the fuel lyingbetween the valves e and T causes the valve 2 to open and the fuel willthen expand into the space existing between the valve z and the end ofthe plunger 0.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure: 3 a guide member 4is seated upon the end of a sleeve or bushing 5 inserted in a pumpcylinder 6 and is held fixedly in position by a casing I threaded intothe end of the cylinder 6; The interior of the bushing 5 constitutes apump chamber 8 which communicates with a source 8 of fuel supply througha passage ID, in the bushing and the cylinder, and a pipe I l.

Within a bore l2 in the guide member 4 is a plunger l3 which cooperateswith the wall of the I8 in the head l9 of the plunger l3. The portion l8opensv directly into the chamber I5 through a series of radial grooves20 defined by lugs 2| on the free end of the head 19 of the plunger l3.

Disposed within the passage H is a valve 22,

of the poppet type, which controls communication between the enlargedportion l6 and the reduced portion 18 of the passage II. On one end ofthe valve 22 is a cylindrical extension 23 which acts as a guide for aspring 24 seated against the valve 22 and against a plug 25 threadedinto the end of the enlarged portion I6. I The plug 25 is provided withpassages 26 to afiord communication between the pumping chamber 8 andthe passage M. On the opposite end of the valve 22 is a stem 21 havinglongitudinally extending flutes 28 in its periphery for conveying thefuel to the grooves 20. The stem 27 of such length that when the valve22 is held in the closed position by the spring 2d the said stem 21extends beyond the adjacent end of the plunger is.

A suitable abutment is provided for the pro jecting end of the stem 21in the form of a stop In this form of the invention, asin thatpreviously described, the valve disposed within the movable element isconstantly exposed to the fuel column ly'ing'between said valve 22 andthe valve T in the injection nozzle. The pressure area of the valve thusexposed is equal to the area of the restricted portion E8 of the passageit. A portion of the pressure area, designated 33, is provided by thefree end of the stem 21 and-other portions,

' designated 34, are located on-the valve 22 and are of a numberequalling the number of flutes in the stem 27 and of substantially thesame area as the cross sectional areas of the flutes 2B.

The operations of this form of the invention briefly described is asfollows: During the pumping stroke of the plunger c the fuel actingagainst the plunger l3 raises said plunger and, inasmuch as the valve 22is encased thereby, the plunger l3 will also carry the valve 22 upwardlyin the direction of the stop member 29. As the plunger is and the valve22 proceed upwardly the end of the stem 21 will abut the stop member 29and the plunger I3 will continue in upwardly direction until the lugs 2|seat against the stop member. In this way the valve 22 will be opened.

The fuel under pressure may then'pass through the ports 26 to thepassage l4 into the chamber l5. From there the fuel flows through thepassages 3|, 32, the injection pipe P and through the injection nozzle Winto the combustion chamber.

Upon the reverse stroke of the plunger 0 the fuel under pressure lyingbetween the valves 22 and T together with the spring 30 will immediatelyreturn the plunger l3 to its seat. During this downward movement of theplunger l3 the passage l8 may be momentarily closed by the valve 22 butwill again be opened by the expansive force of the fuel column betweenthe valve 22 and the valve T, thus permitting such fuel to expand andflow back into the pump chamber 8 instead of unseating the valve T andcausing the objectionable conditions which the present invention iscontemplated to prevent.

We claim:

1. A valve mechanism for a fuel injection line, comprising a casinghaving a discharge passage, a discharge conduit in constantcommunication with the discharge passage, a guide member in the casinghaving a bore, a valve in the bore having an internal passage and beingactuated by fuel under pressure to admit fuel from the passage to theinjection line, a stem on the valve extending into the bore to guide thevalve and to prevent the passage of fuel through the bore, said valvehaving a port to permit the return flow of fuel from the injection lineto the passage, and a valve to control the port.

2.. A valve mechanism for a fuel injection line, comprising a guidemember having a bore, a plunger in the bore actuated by fuel underpressure and having an internal passage to convey fuel to and from theinjection line, said plunger having an unbroken external surface toprevent the passage of fuel through the bore, a valve in the plunger tocontrol the passage and being carried by the plunger, and a fixed stopmember against which the valve abuts to open the passage for admittingfuel to the injection line.

3. A valve mechanism for a fuel injection line, comprising a. guidemember having a bore, aplunger in the bore actuated by fuel underpressure and having an internal passage to convey all the fuel to andfrom the injection line, said plunger having an unbroken externalsurface to prevent the passage of fuel through the bore, a valve in theplunger to control the passage and being carried by the plunger, a fixedstop member against which the valve abuts to open the passage foradmitting fuel to the injection pipe, and a pressure area on the valveagainst which the fuel in the injection line acts expansively to movethe valve independently of the plunger for permitting the return flow offuel from the injection pipe through the passage.

RALPH MILLER. WALLACE K., NEWCOMB.

